Together In Darkness
by ynmidk
Summary: A young boy and a young girl find each other as they explore the darkness within them, together. This is about a twisted friendship between twisted minds./ dark!harry/dark!ginny / borderline evil you might say./ warnings: mentions of child molestation/abuse, graphic depictions of violence and sexual situations. Rating: MA will be well deserved. Further info in AN.
1. Beginnings

**AN:** Hi guys. This story was in my head for a while and I needed to get it out. I had hoped to find some neat stories with Harry and Ginny both being dark but couldn't find anything, so I formed this idea in my head until it became more and more structured. I hope you guys will enjoy the start. I promise that the farther it gets, the more exciting it becomes. I usually struggle with the beginnings of any story, so I hope this isn't too slow or sth already for you guys. Also, since I am not at home, I wrote this all on mobile. If there are any spelling mistakes, etc. please say so, so I can correct them once I am back at home. Thanks.

Now, I need to get several warnings out here. This story will contain: _**mentions of child molestation/abuse, graphic depictions of violence, graphic depictions of sexual situations, mentions and graphic depictions of animal abuse.**_ This story is not for the faint of heart. This is for mature adults, or those who think they are. This is about children who have suffered horrid things and protected themselves in a shroud of darkness and emptiness until they found the means to lash out. These children are no sociopaths, but they are dark at heart, they lost their empathy when no one showed it to them. They have a twisted black/white sense of justice, they are ruthless. And the older they get, the more they learn...well, you may find out if you decide to see where this will go.

Have fun reading!

Note: This chapter has been edited.

 **Disclaimer:** This wonderful universe is owned by the wonderful J.K. Rowling, not by me.

* * *

Harry Potter was sitting in the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express. For the first time in his life he felt a kind of freedom that was completely and utterly strange to him.

 _It all began with the first letter he ever received in his life, which his uncle and aunt- Vernon and Petunia Dursley- immediately snatched away. He hated them anyways; which was no surprise, considering the years of abuse he had to endure from them. He would be beaten for getting better marks than his cousin- their son- Dudley, he would be beaten if he didn't finish all his chores in time, he would be beaten when he got bad marks. At some point in his short life he felt himself grow colder and more detached emotionally from the people around him and from people in general. He did seek help from teachers, hoping they would get him out of that house, but that too resulted in a beating._

 _So when those letters came and they wouldn't have him read them he got really mad. After years of having to cook for the Dursleys he knew all their allergies and what they could eat and shouldn't or couldn't eat, he knew of Dudley's peanut allergy. It was a huge drama and temper tentrum Dudley succumbed into when he found out that he couldn't eat peanut butter anymore. Harry decided to help out, so when no one was looking, he put on a healthy helping of peanut butter in Dudley's grilled cheese sandwich before he served them. While the Dursleys started to eat he busied himself with cleaning any evidence that could fault him for Dudley's soon coming predicament. Just a few moments later the Dursleys were in a utter state of panic. Vernon was already turning purple in his rage and marched towards Harry._

 _"Boy! What the hell did you do to my son?!" His meaty fist was already shaking threateningly in front of Harry's face._

 _"I didn't do anything! And shouldn't you be looking after Dudley? I think he's dying."_

 _Vernon turned back towards his son after that and gathered the choking Dudley and panicking Petunia towards the car as they headed to the nearest hospital. They were too worried about their son to think about Harry. For the first time they left him alone at Privet Drive._

 _After that everything went quickly. He finally got to read his acceptance letter for Hogwarts, he got beat again, a giant of a man called Hagrid arrived at Privet Drive and explained the wizarding world to him and how his parents died by the hands of an evil wizard called Voldemort, though Hagrid clearly preferred "You-Know-Who", and not in a car accident. Harry threw the Dursleys a withering glare after that revalation. He also learnt how he got his scar and that he was the first and only person ever to survive the killing curse, which also resulted in the defeat of Voldemort. He was sort of a celebrity in the magic community. After that Hagrid accompanied Harry to Diagon Alley were they bought him his snowy owl, which he later named Hedwig, and his wand. At the end of the day, when they finished shopping for Harry's school supplies, he told Hagrid that he could get back to the Dursleys by himself, so the half-giant left him alone and Harry went back to the Leaky Couldron and booked a room for the rest of the summer. The rest of it was spent buying books to help himself understand the wizarding world and some school subjects better and a whole new wardrobe. He would never wear Dudley's hand-me-downs ever again._

He was jerked out of his reminiscing when the compartment door opened. He looked towards the door to see a redheaded girl land face first in front of him, making him raise a brow at her before looking up again. A boy witht the girl's hair color, stood at the door, grinning at the tripped girl.

"Watch where you are going, Ginny." He drawled.

The girl, fuming, got up slowly and turned around, staring at the boy. In one swift motion she pulled his trousers and underwear down, making him reflexively cover himself with both hands, before she pushed him out of the compartment, making him fall down and show his bits for all to see.

"Remember this the next time you think you can have a go at me." She said without any sympathy for the boy's embarassment.

Turning her back at him, she closed the door and sat down. She looked up and for the first time realized that there was another person here. Black, unruly hair, brilliant green eyes and an old pair of round spectacles that didn't really fit with the nice clothes he was wearing. Then, she saw the lightning bold scar on his forehead. Her heart beat slightly faster but she willed it to calm down. "You are Harry Potter, arent you?"

Harry gave a slight nod. "Yeah. That boy," he jerked a thumb towards the compartment door. "Is he your brother? You have the same hair."

The girl scrunched her face up in disgust. "He''s my twin. I wish he wasn't. I really don't like him. Or any of my brothers."

"Why?"

"Because they do stuff like that all the time. And when I get back at them they run to my mom and I get all the blame."

Harry knew that she didn't tell him everything but shrugged. Maybe she would eventually. If not then not. It was her business, not his. He held out a hand. "Nice to meet you."

Ginny looked at it, then took it. "Nice to meet you too. My name's Ginny Weasley."

* * *

They sat in companiable silence. Neither of them was much of a talker but they were okay with it. It wasn't uncomfortable and they both were deep in their own thoughts, until the compartment door opened once again.

A blonde boy stepped in, accompanied by two other boys who looked way too large for their age. "Is it true?" He said. "They are saying all down the train that Harry Potter is in this compartment. It is you, isn't it?"

"What of it?" Harry asked, irritated.

"My name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." The blonde glanced at Ginny, the redhead returning it with a scowl. "You will soon learn that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter." Malfoy continued haughtily. "Just looking at your...company...I can tell she is a Weasley. Hand-me-downs, ginger, freckles. More children than her family can afford. I can help you at making better friends, Potter."

Harry looked at Malfoy with cold eyes. "I know your type. Spoiled, can't do anything without daddy. Even here you walk around with two brainless gorillas. Get out."

Malfoy blushed furiously, scowling in anger. "This isn't over, Potter." He turned around and slammed the door shut.

Harry returned his gaze towards the window and stared at the rapidly moving landscape. He then looked at the girl. "Your family is really poor?" He asked.

Ginny blushed at the blunt question. That topic always made her uncomfortable. She hated that she didn't have anything of her own. Even her wand was second-hand. Everyone knew that a wand should be someone's own. She couldn't have even that. "Yeah...why?"

"Just asking. I don't really care one way or the other. But I don't like spoiled gits like that Malfoy bloke."

"I heared that the Potters were a really wealthy family once." Ginny pointed out.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe. I grew up with my uncle and aunt. They hate magic. They made sure that I know how much they hate it. Up until two months ago I didn't even know there was real magic. Or Voldemort." Ginny flinched at the name but he ignored that. "I was wearing their fat son's clothes and could have fit 4 times into them. These are completely new clothes." He pointed at what he was wearing now. "All I know is that my parents set up a vault at Gringotts with a lot of money for my time at Hogwarts. That's it." He shrugged.

"I didn't know your family was so bad to you."

"I will get back at them. One day, when I am old enough, they will pay." He said it in a cold and calm voice, but his eyes betrayed the fury he felt inside.

"Can I help?" Ginny asked, grinning eagerly.

Harry smirked at the wicked gleam in her eyes. "Sure."

They both looked up when the food trolley reached their compartment. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Harry glanced at Ginny, who stared at him. He then looked at the trolley witch. "Two of every sweets you have, please."

He paid for it and dropped his arms full of sweets on the seats. Ginny, smirking at him, got up from her seat and sat down right next to Harry. Without a word she picked up one pack of the chocolate frogs and handed it to Harry. "Careful. They move and stuff."

* * *

The sky had already started to darken when a bushy haired witch with prominent front teeth entered their compartment.

"Excuse me, have you seen a toad around here? A boy named Neville lost it."

"No, we haven't seen anything." Harry answered.

"Well, thanks anyways."

The girl was about to leave when he felt her gaze on his forehead. He sighed internally and knew what was about to come.

"You must be Harry Potter!" The girl exclaimed excitedly. "I've read about you in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_ when I did some background reading. My family isn't magic at all so of course it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter but I was ever so pleased of course."

"That's...nice." Harry answered, not sure what else to say. He scowled when he heard Ginny snigger next to him.

"My name's Hermione Granger by the way." The bushy haired girl announced. "And you are...?" She asked, looking at Ginny.

"Ginny Weasley." Ginny answered with a forced smile.

"Well, it's been a pleasure to meet you, but better get back to my compartment. You might want to change into your robes, we will arrive soon." With that she left them both alone.

Ginny got up and rummaged in her trunk, pulling out a battered set of robes, looking at it with disgust and resignation. Harry looked at her for a moment before he spoke up. "If you want, for our second year, we could buy you some stuff at Diagon Alley."

Ginny eyed him suspiciously. "Why would you do that?"

Harry shrugged. He didn't know why, didn't understand why he was feeling this way; why he felt compelled to buy her a new set of robes and school uniforms. He didn't care very much either. "I don't know. Just because. You want new stuff, right? I know what it feels like to own nothing of your own, you know. I just thought you might like that."

Ginny looked down at the pile of old robes in her arm, then at Harry. "I'd like that."

Harry nodded at her then turned around, to give her some privacy.

* * *

They were led into the Great Hall by a stern looking witch, who introduced herself as Minerva McGonagall and lined up in front of a stool with an old and patched hat sitting on it. After McGonagall explained to them what they had to do, she started the sorting ceremony.

She stepped to side as the hat suddenly began to sing:

" _Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_

 _But don't judge on what you see,_

 _I'll eat myself if you can find_

 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_

 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_

 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_

 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_

 _So try me on and I will tell you_

 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_

 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_

 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

 _Where they are just and loyal,_

 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

 _if you've a ready mind,_

 _Where those of wit and learning,_

 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_

 _You'll make your real friends,_

 _Those cunning folks use any means_

 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

 _And don't get in a flap!_

 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!_ "

"Abbott, Hannah." A blonde, rosy looking girl was called and sat down on the stool before the hat was placed on her head. After a few moments, the hat called out: "HUFFLEPUFF!"

One of the tables cheered loudly as the girl walked there with a shy smile on her face.

After a while it was Harry's turn. He ignored the murmurs that erupted after his name was called. Sitting down on the stool, he waited for the hat to be placed.

 _"Ah, but what an interesting mind!"_ A voice in his head suddenly exclaimed. _"Where to put you? You have braved a lot of odds in your young life, but you also showed a gread deal of cunning and deviousness. You didn't really care about what could happen to your cousin, as long as you could read your letter, no?"_

 _"No, I didn't."_ Harry answered. If the hat could access memories and past feelings there was no point in lying.

 _"You truly have the makings of a SLYTHERIN!"_ The hat yelled for the hall to hear. There were some murmurs but the Slytherin table broke out in a huge cheer. Harry felt his lips twitch slightly but willed it to stop. He walked to the table and sat next to one of his new yearmates- a girl, Daphne Greengrass, he thought. He kept the seat next to him free, hoping that Ginny would be sorted to Slytherin too. He caught her eyes as she sought out his. He gave a small nod which she returned.

Then it was time for Ginny. After a few moments the hat once again yelled out for the whole hall to hear: "SLYTHERIN!"

Again, there was a lot of murmuring going on, even among the Slytherins. Harry was clapping though. Ginny kept walking and sat down next to Harry with a small smile. "I told the hat that I didn't want to be in the same house as my brothers. Apparantly Slytherin was the next best thing."

Harry nodded. "I'm glad."

"Everyone in my family has been a Gryffindor up until now. I wonder how they will react..." She continued with an evil smirk. Appearantly she liked the thought of shocking her family like this.

After the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, finished his greeting of the first years with some random words, huge piles of food appeared in front of them.

Just as he was about to load his plate he saw someone sit down in front of him.

"So, the famous Harry Potter is now a Slytherin."

Harry looked up at Malfoy, was about to say something in retort but decided to ignore him instead and continued to pile up loads of food on his plate. He began to eat, chewing slowly and looked around him. He was amused by the neat way Ginny was eating and she caught his glances. "What?" She asked.

"I don't know. Just didn't expect you to be so neat when eating."

Ginny scoffed at that. "Just because my brothers think it's okay to stuff their faces like a bunch of pigs doesn't mean I have to."

"Didn't say you do." Harry shrugged again.

"Stop ignoring me." Malfoy's face was red with anger.

"I completely forgot about you. I am not sorry about that." Harry retorted. He earned himself a few chuckles from around him, which caused Malfoy to become even redder.

"You think you are so special because of your stupid scar, Potter, but you aren't."

Rolling his eyes, Harry leaned forward. "I don't think I am special, Malfoy. I just think that _you_ are not as special as you think you are. I know your type. I don't like your type. End of story."

The blonde next to him spoke up for the first time since he sat down next to her. "What do you mean with you know 'his type', Potter?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"Spoiled brats." Was his short answer as he resumed eating.

She nodded, a small smirk on her face. "I can live with that."

For the first time Harry looked up to the head table with the teachers and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his scar. He forced himself to be stoic and not show it, but couldn't stop himself from releasing a shaky breath through his nose. He couldn't pinpoint when exactly the pain came but it definately had something to do with one of the teachers.

"You okay?" He heard from his right and looked at Ginny, who eyed him curiously.

"Yeah." He said. Looking back at the teachers, he locked eyes with one who was wearing a completely black attire and had shoulder length greasy black hair. He nudged Ginny. "You know who that is?"

She followed his gaze. "Should be Professor Snape. Potions teacher and head of our house."

"How do you know?"

"Brothers."

After they were all finished eating the first years were led by the prefects to their respective common rooms. The Slytherin common room was in Hogwarts' dungeon under the lake. It was hidden behind a stone wall and the password was 'Salazar'. They entered and Harry was looking around. It looked cozy enough with the fireplace, comfortable looking chairs and a big couch. He could imagine living here for a while. They were led to their dormitories.

Changing into his pajamas he laid down on the bed; the first comfortable bed he had ever had. It didn't take long for sleep to embrace him.

* * *

The next morning Harry met Ginny in their common room before heading to the Great Hall. They were having their breakfast when the head of their house, Professor Snape, handed out their timetables.

Harry peeked over Ginny's shoulder to look at hers. "It's identicle."

"What did you expect?" Ginny asked, glancing at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Dunno."

After their breakfast they were headed to their first class, which was Transfiguration with the Gryffindor head, Professor McGonagall. They shared it with the Ravenclaws. It was interesting enough and pretty demanding. He expected to enjoy this class in the future, even if McGonagall already loaded them with a huge amount of homework. After that they had Herbology outside, which was something he didn't particularly enjoy. He looked at Ginny, who seemed to be the one of the two of them who had the green thumb.

During their break, which they spent in the Great Hall having lunch, a pair of identical redheads approached them with serious looks on their faces.

"Ginny, we just wanted to ask if you are okay here. You can do a re-sorting, you know?" One of them asked while the other nodded.

Ginny looked at them, he expression unreadable. "I asked the hat to not be in the same house as you. Or Ron. Or Percy. I am good here."

"What?!" "Why would you do that?!" They both asked their questions at the same time.

Ginny narrowed her eyes, he expression thunderous. "You know exactly why." She answered in a low voice, before abandoning her lunch and leaving. Harry got up himself, taking Ginny's forgotten bag and his own with him, following the redhead. She went outside and sat by the lake as Harry joined and sat down next to her.

"I got your bag."

"Thanks."

They sat in silence for a while when Ginny spoke up. "Two years ago we were at a birthday party for some relative. My Uncle Wilburt was there. We stayed overnight and I was tired early and went to bed. When I woke up Wilburt was touching me." She glanced at Harry and saw his face darken. He didn't look at her and kept staring at the lake. "He didn't...do it...with me, I mean. He still made me do stuff to him while he touched me. I don't know, it was like...five minutes maybe but felt like hours. I couldn't tell anyone because I was so terrified but I had to, right? When I did...first to my brothers...they didn't believe me. Then my parents. They didn't believe me either. And every time we went there he would pass me and touch my butt...when we would stay the night, he would sneak into my room and..." She smiled a bitter smile. "' _Weasleys don't abandon Weasleys. Weasleys stick together.'_ " Laughing, the redhead threw a small stone into the lake. "I felt so betrayed. But it opened my eyes. This whole tight-family-thing is a joke. I cut myself loose. Becoming a Slytherin instead of a Gryffindor sealed it. But I also feel dead inside sometimes. You know what I mean?" She looked at Harry, who nodded. "I mean, if an uncle can touch his niece like that and no one cares...I can do stuff without feeling bad, right?"

"When I got my letter from Hogwarts, the Dursleys wouldn't let me read it." Harry began. "So I had to get them out of the house. They always make me cook breakfast, so I made grilled cheese and put peanut butter in Dudley's. He has a really bad peanut allergy. Almost died I think. He couldn't really breath."

Ginny blinked at him before laughing loudly. "Awesome! Wish I could have seen that." They sat next to each other for another few moments when Ginny spoke up again. "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

Ginny bit her lower lip for a while before she started talking. "Sometimes I feel so angry at everything and everyone...you know, our house, it's in this huge field with a barn. So sometimes animals come and go."

"You killed one, didn't you?" Harry asked bluntly.

"Yeah."

"It's okay. As long as you don't go and start killing random people."

Ginny smiled. "No, I wouldn't do that."

"How was it?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence.

The redhead knew immediately what he was asking. "Freeing, kind of. I mean...I was so angry. At my parents and my brothers. All so happy and laughing as if nothing happened, even after I told them. So I snuck out at night, walked to the barn and there was that cat. It wanted attention or food. I don't know. I didn't care. I just snapped. I just..." She made a swinging motion with her right leg. "After I realized what I did...I didn't feel angry anymore. But I definitely didn't feel guilty or sad about it either. There just was...nothing. It was nice, really. Feeling nothing." She looked up at the sky and laid down on the grass, stretching. "Not feeling sad or angry or anything at all. After that I always wondered what it would be like if my uncle's neck looked that way."

"We could find out some day." Harry smirked at her.

Ginny looked up at Harry, wide eyed with a smile on her face. "You mean that?"

"Of course. You will be with me when I can go for the Dursleys, right? So I will be with you when you go for your uncle."

"Thank you, Harry." She whispered in wonder. She was already looking forward to that day.

* * *

After their lunch break they were on their way to the dungeons. They had potions next, with the Gryffindor first years. Ginny didn't look forward to it because her twin brother Ron would be there. They reached the potions room and a bunch of students were already there, her brother included. She was about to pass him without giving him a glance when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She stopped and looked at Harry who gazed down and she followed his eyes. Her brother tried to trip her again. He was talking with some other Gryffindors while having his leg stretched out, trying to be unobtrusive. Ginny stomped on his foot with the heel of hers, making him howl in pain. She smirked and kept walking, so Harry and she were with their fellow Slytherins.

"What the hell, Ginny?!" Her brother shouted at her angrily.

"Shouldn't have tried to trip me. Did you forget what happened in the Hogwarts Express?"

Her brother flushed a furious red but didn't answer.

"Do you mean when he was all starkers, Weasley?" Daphne, who overheard the siblings, asked Ginny.

Ginny nodded, smirking.

The blonde Slytherin laughed out at that, managing to get a _nice going, Weasley!_ out, before telling the other Slytherins who hadn't heard about that event yet.

Ron looked at Ginny with disgust, his face red with embarassment, and Ginny returned his look with a sneer. It was then when the door opened. The students entered the potions class room, Slytherins on one side and Gryffindors on the other.

The head of Slytherin marched towards his desk, all the while speaking. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. . . I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

He let his gaze wander, taking his new students in, before he stopped. "Ah, yes. Mr. Potter. Our new...celebrity. And in Slytherin no less."

He felt Ginny glance at him as he kept his eyes firmly on Snape.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter: what will I get if I add Powdered Root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?"

Harry thought for a moment, distracted by the Gryffindor girl, Hermione, who had her arm up and was jumping up and down, trying to get the Professors attention. "Umm...should be Draught of Living Death."

Snape kept glaring at him. "Where would you look if I tell you to find me a Bezoar?"

"In the stomach of a goat." That one was easy.

"What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

"Uhh...I think they were the same plant, weren't they?"

Snape nodded, begrudgingly. "Correct. 10 points for Slytherin." He looked as if he swallowed something nasty. "Why is no one writing this down?" He barked at the class, before turning towards the blackboard.

Ginny smirked at him. "You'd think he'd be proud or something that one of his own knew the answers to those questions."

Harry shrugged at her. "Maybe he doesn't like me. I don't know."

Snape waved his wand at the blackboard and a set of instructions appeared. "You will attempt to create the cure for boils. Instructions are on the board. Begin."

Harry and Ginny were working dilligently on their potion, adding the ingridients and working them point for point as instructed.

Snape walked between the rows, giving the odd Slytherin hints and tipps, while barking at the Gryffindors, especially one chubby and nervous looking boy. Close to the end of class said boy's cauldron suddenly started to melt as a horrid odor filled the classroom. Snape marched over to the boy, waving his wand and banishing the failed potion. "Longbottom! What does the instruction on the board say about the porcupine quills?"

"T-t-take cauldron o-off the f-fire, b-b-before adding t-the quills..." He stammered, wide eyed.

"You will write 20 inches about why you failed to follow the instructions correctly. 20 points from Gryffindor." With that Snape looked at the class. "The rest of you, fill your vials with your potion and bring them to my desk. They will be marked by next class."

Harry heard Malfoy and his gorillas sniggering at the chubby boy's plight, while the other Slytherins just were laughing silently among themselves at having a Gryffindor embarrass himself. Harry didn't really care either way but raised a brow at Ginnys amusement. "I like that Professor. I hope he will give Ron what for too. His potion looks horrible." The redhead said.

"You seem to hate him so much more than others. Why? I always thought twins are real tight." Harry wondered.

Ginny glanced at him, before fumbling in her bag looking for her vial. "Wenn I tried to talk to him about...you know, he said I was just looking for attention. That I didn't need the attention. I was already the first Weasley girl in several generations. Why would I need more attention? Why would I accuse a family member with something like this on top of all the attention seeking?" She looked angrily at her twin before carefully filling her vial. "He was always whiny about being the youngest of six boys and all that stuff, but accusing me of attention seeking when I try to look for help in my family...after that he just started tripping me, pushing me around and stuff. So, yeah. The others were horrible, but Ron was the worst of the lot."

Nodding in understanding, Harry looked at Ginny's potion and it had almost the identical pink smoke coming out of her couldron. His was just a bit darker. Or hers brighter. He wasn't exactly sure which one.

After handing their filled vials to the Professor they headed out to the great hall for dinner before going to their common room to start the homework. Working together on it they finished all their assignments pretty quickly. After they were done they bid each other good night before heading to their dormitories. All in all, they both thought that they had a pretty successful first day at Hogwarts.


	2. Blossoming

**AN:** So, another chapter. I hope you guys, enjoyed the first one and will enjoy this one. Please remember, there is a lot graphic and explicit stuff in this story, ranging from _violence_ and _language_ up to _abuse, molestation_ and _sex_. If any of these things offend you in any way then please reconsider your decision to read this story.

For the rest: I have decided for their first two or three years in Hogwarts to wrap them up in max. 4 chapters. I want to wrap those up quickly in only a few decisive and important moments in their lives and not so much in random details that do the story no good. So, if their relationship progress seems to be rushed then I am sorry but remember that there are rather big time leaps.

That being said, enjoy the story and again, let me know if there are any blatant spelling mistakes, etc. so I can clean it up.

* * *

The next few weeks were blurring into each other for Harry and Ginny. Between the amounts of homework they got from each class and getting to know the castle and each other there wasn't really that much time for anything else. Harry was quickly noticed for his quick mind as he was excelling in almost every class. Exceptions were Herbology and History of Magic. Ginny was almost the same, except that she was slightly behind him in Potions but pretty far ahead of him in Herbology. Harry wasn't in any risk of failing any class. It simply was Ginny being the only one who was as exceptional in Herbology as the Gryffindor Neville Longbottom.

During those weeks the two also got a lot closer. They spent every moment together, shared secrets and desires and no one was allowed between them. Of course they got to know others of their house but those were acquaintances at best.

Harry noticed a lot about Ginny, little habits like the twirling of her hair when she was thinking, the worrying of her lower lip when she was nervous. What he to see most though, was the cruel Ginny. The evil glint in her eyes and that smirk of hers made something in his chest roar. He sneaked a peek at the vicious redhead whenever he could and he never got tired of watching her.

Ginny on the other hand had adored the boy-who-lived since she was a little child, but not in her wildest dreams had she imagined to be with him the way she was. Something inside her broke when she was nine and molested, something tying her to the morality and laws to society. She never would have thought that Harry Potter was the same. Now they were both so close to each other, she constantly thought about being with him until the end of eternity. She couldn't imagine anyone else to be with her that way. A lot of her innocence was stolen from her but she would fight tooth and nail to protect that last shred of innocence she had for Harry. He was the one for her, the only one she felt connected to in any sense at all and if she had to, she would spend the rest of her life to make Harry see her the same way. Any whore who would try to come between them would suffer her wrath and Harry could watch.

Time flied and soon it was time for Halloween. They were in charms and learning the levitation charm. Harry had it after his second try and after correcting a small mistake in Ginny's wand movement she had it immediately after, earning 5 points each for Slytherin. The Granger girl was, as Harry noticed, in a heated discussion with Ginny's twin brother after she corrected his pronunciation.

Malfoy, sitting next to Daphne, who was sitting between Ginny and the blonde haired boy, leaned forward eyeing the redheaded with a smirk.

"Are you sure your brother isn't a squib, Weaslette? He sure seems to suck in every class."

"He might be. He surely isn't the fastest broom out there. He is more closely to the slowest." Ginny shrugged her shoulders, unfased by Malfoy's attempt to get a reaction out of her. She grinned as she caught Malfoy's frown a Nudging Harry's leg with her's she leaned forward, eyeing Malfoy with a smirk of her own. "You could keep Ronald company, Malfoy. You know, since you seem to be on the slow side, too." Harry was fighting the twitch on his lips, suppressing the grin that was trying to break through. Daphne was having a hard time too as she glanced at Malfoy's blushing face from the corner of her eyes. "I mean," Ginny continued, "this was the 58th time you tried to get me mad by insulting my family. I told you 58 times that I. Hate. My. Family. You Dimwit. And just in case you wonder: I actually did count."

Harry pressed his fist hard against his mouth to smother his laughter. He enjoyed the redhead's joy in humiliating others as much as the next Slytherin but it was that much more fun when it was Draco who got humiliated.

Soon, class was over and Malfoy stomped out with a scowl and red faced while Harry and Ginny took a leisurely pace as they made their way to the Great Hall. They were close enough to hear Ginny's brother complain about Granger, calling her all sorts of names as the bushy-haired witch audiably sobbed while pushing past the redhead.

"Look at that, Harry." Ginny said loudly, making Ron scowl at her. "Honorable Gryffindors making each other cry."

"Shut your trap, snake!" Ron snapped at her. "It's not my fault that she is a bloody know-it-all!"

"So, you are mad because you are stupid and she is not?" Harry asked in mock confusion.

Ginny and a few other Slytherin's laughed out loud at that, making Ron flush furiously. His temper, already at a boiling point because of the class, finally got the best of him as he reached for his wand and aimed at his sister. Before he could do anything though he got interrupted by Professor Snape.

"What do you think you are doing, Weasley, aiming your wand at my student- your sister?"

"I- " He stuttered, words failing him as he realized that he was really in trouble.

"Sir, we were just asking why he would be so mean and make a fellow Gryffindor cry. I mean, they are supposed to be loyal and honorable..." Ginny trailed off, putting on a sad and thoughtful face.

"Yeah, then he just got mad at us, insulted our house and aimed his wand at Weasley." Pansy Parkinson, a fellow yearmate of Harry's and Ginny's with black hair and a pug face, added for good measure; not even trying to hide her glee at getting a Gryffindor in trouble.

"I see. A week's detention and 50 points from Gryffindor should suffice. See your Head of House for details on your detention." Snape said before he left, not giving Ron the chance to defend himself.

Ron stared at Snape's back, unbelieving, before turning back towards Ginny. "You will pay for this." He grinded out between clenched teeth, raising his wand again.

Ginny just looked her brother up and down with undisguised disgust. "What do you think you can do with your wand? You can't even cast _lumos_ without hurting yourself."

With that she turned away from the youngest Weasley boy and resumed her way towards the Great Hall, smirking at the appreciative glances she got from her fellow Slytherins. What pleased her most though were the sideways glances and the small smile she got from her black- haired and green- eyed friend.

Once in the Great Hall they headed towards their table and sat down at their usual spot. Neither paid the decorations much mind. Having had no positive recollection about any holiday or any other festive day whatsoever, Harry didn't bother trying to get into any sort of festive mood. For him days like Halloween and holidays like Christmas had the same meaning and importance as a random monday.

Ginny on the other hand used to enjoy any sort of festivities very much. Her family always made a big deal out of those days. But since her family denied her the trust and support when she needed it most she withdrew from those kinds of days completely. It made her sick when her family was happy and laughing while her mind was in turmoil as she tried to comprehend that the people she was supposed to trust the most would not believe her that she- a nine year old girl- was touched, violated and molested by her uncle. Those days only fueled her hate and feeling of betrayal.

So they both sat and ate, indifferent to the festive mood going on around them. It was only in the middle of the feast that some sort of commotion caught their attention. It was Quirrell rushing into the Hall, shouting something about a troll in the dungeons.

The Great Hall broke out into chaos before the headmaster managed to get the students to quiet down.

"Prefects, take the students back to their dormitories!" He ordered.

Harry and Ginny followed a prefect leading the first years when Ginny suddenly grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him out of sight with her, behind a large statue.

"What the-"

"Shhhh!" Ginny covered his mouth with a hand. She waited a few moments, listening intently. When she was satisfied that they were alone, she looked at Harry, taking her hand away. "I want to see it."

"Why?" Harry asked with a scowl. "Let's just head back to the common room."

"Come on, Harry! Live a little!" Ginny grabbed his arm again, dragging him with her, leaving him no chance to argue. They walked around the dungeons for around a minute when a disgusting smell suddenly assaulted their noses.

Dry heaving, Ginny took a moment before glancing at Harry, who looked green. "It must be close."

They followed the smell when they reached the outside of the girls' bathroom. There they saw the troll in the hallway in front of the bathroom as it stopped it's walk and stared at Harry and Ginny with dull eyes. Then it suddenly roared and raised it's huge club it was carrying. Out of reflex Harry raised his wand and quickly shouted _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_ , the club levitating out of the troll's grasp, higher and higher as it followed it's club with a dumb look on it's face before the club dropped down, bashing the troll's face in with a sickening crunch, blood and gore splattering the hallway.

"Whoa, did you see that?" Ginny exclaimed excitedly, her eyes wide and a grin on her face.

"Yeah." Harry answered, his voice low but his look the same as Ginny's. "You think it's dead?" He asked the redhead.

"What do you think? You just destroyed it's face! That was bloody amazing! Literally!" She could hardly stand still in her excitement but stopped immidiately when the bathroom door opened. They both turned around and saw Hermione Granger peeking out of the bathroom. Her eyes were puffy and red, making it obvious that she had been crying. The muggleborn witch was taking the scene in and when she spotted the dead troll and the blood of it's bashed in head in the hallway her face suddenly went pale, then green.

"What happened?" She asked, her voice shaky.

Ginny, always the quick thinker of lies, had an answer at the ready. "We wanted to warn you about the troll. You know, since you weren't at the feast and I heard you were crying here the whole time. Then it saw us, attacked and we kind of, accidentally killed it." She finished with a shrug.

"And that doesn't bother you at all?" The Gryffindor asked, shock at the disregard the redhead showed for another life evident in her voice.

"It was either us or the troll. So no, we don't care it's dead." Harry snapped at her, already getting annoyed at her again. She really was someone to grate on his nerves quickly.

Before Hermione could answer they heard several footsteps coming their way. They saw several teachers and Dumbledore approaching and after retelling their story Harry and Ginny were awarded with a total of 50 points for helping another student.

* * *

After Snape took them back to the Slytherin common room Ginny took Harry's hand and led him to a quiet corner. The room was mostly deserted by now, most of the students in their dorms, but they still sought out the most private spot they could. She stared at him intently, her eyes still wide with wonder and excitement. He stared right back her, a similar look on his face.

Finally, she spoke up. "How do you feel?" She asked quietly.

Harry opened his mouth and closed it again, not really having an appropriate answer. So, he just took the redhead's hand and pressed it against his chest, his heart still beating rapidly, the adrenaline still coursing through his body every time he thought back how the gigantic and heavy club made the troll's face explode after it fell down.

Ginny let out a slight gasp, her cheeks flushing prettily. "It was great, wasn't it?" She asked him.

"It definitely was." Harry agreed, still holding the girl's hand against his chest. He enjoyed the softness and warmth of her hand, her touch, but couldn't really tell why, didn't understand that the steady and rapid pace of his heartbeat didn't have anything to do anymore with the gory kill of the troll.

"Seeing that...it made me want to kill something again but...bloodier. Like you did." Ginny admitted. "I think...when I broke that cat's neck, I didn't feel anything. I only was a little bit excited. But I think..." Ginny bit her lower lip, her brows furrowed, her hand still on Harry's chest.

Harry cocked his head slightly. "Do you want to try out what excites you most?" He asked her.

"Yeah." She breathed out, her eyes bright at the thought. "We are sick, aren't we?" Ginny asked with a wry grin, seemingly not too bothered by the thought.

Harry, having never in his entire life experienced any positive form of touch, couldn't help himself when he took a firm hold of Ginny's hand under his and pulled her towards him, suprising the girl when her circled his arms around her waist and took a deep breath of her fragrance, fresh and flowery. She relaxed against him and allowed herself to run her fingers through his hair as his face pressed against her belly, just under her still undeveloped breasts.

"Is anyone watching?" She asked in a whisper.

"We've been alone since five or so minutes. I'd have never done this otherwise." Harry admitted.

"Good. I hope you know that any other person holding me like this would be dismembered by now."

Harry chuckled into her belly, taking another deep breath of her intoxicating fragrance. "You smell nice." He finally stated.

Blushing slightly, Ginny gave him a smile, even when he couldn't see as his face was still hidden against her blouse-covered belly. "I do take the occasional shower."

"Keep taking them. And please, never change the soap or shampoo or whatever it is you use."

"I promise I won't." She bit her lip again as she thought about what she was going to say. "Harry?" She began carefully, her fingers brushing through his unruly hair as her fingernails massaged his scalp.

"Hmm?"

"I thought about something..."

Finally pulling away, he looked the redhead in the eyes. "About what?"

"We are sick. I can admit and live with that." She began.

"We aren't any worse or 'unnormal' than a guy who forces his nine year old niece to, you know..." Harry faltered.

Ginny smirked at him, though it didn't reach her eyes. "To suck his dick or blow him. Take your pick." Ginny sighed, her features hardening. "He took that kind of innocence from me." She looked at Harry. "He made me learn all those words and stuff. I was still _nine years old_ , damn it! It probably turned him on even more...to have me talk like that to him and not just having his finger up inside of me and me crying as he forced me to give him a blowjob." She added, a coldness and bitterness evident in her voice.

Harry tightened his grip on her waist. "We will get back at him, Ginny." He stared into her bright, brown eyes, hardened by her stolen childhood. "And as I said- we are not any worse than that bastard. Or worse than people who make a slave and punching bag out of a child."

Ginny kept looking into his emerald green eyes, getting lost in them, and relishing in the feeling of his arms tightly encircling her waist. "I know we will Harry. Just like we will get the Dursleys." They were silent for a few moments, Ginny absentmindedly cupping the side of his face, her thumb softly stroking his cheek, as her other hand was still buried in his hair. She looked back down at Harry, his eyes closed, enjoying her ministrations as he leaned into the cupping hand. Ginny smirked slightly at the effect she had on the boy. She then continued. "What I wanted to say is...I don't know anyone who is like we are. It's...we just fit, you know?" Harry nodded at her. "So...I thought...when we are older, Harry...when we are teenagers...I want us...you know..."

Harry looked at Ginny in amusement. It was a curious sight; the usually cold, manipulative and vicious redhead a blushing and nervous mess. "You want us to be a couple?"

"Not right now!" Ginny exclaimed. "We are too young. I mean, we could kiss and stuff and let it develop until we feel ready for _that_ step. All I know is that I am not ready at all right now."

"What is stuff?" Harry asked cheekily before quickly regretting it.

"If you touch me in that way before I allow you to I will cut your dick off. With a rusty and blunt knife." Ginny said, her eyes cold as ice and her voice hard as steel.

"Sorry, Ginny. I didn't mean anything by it, just wanted to make a joke."

"Good." Ginny nodded, her features softening. "I am pretty much promising you what is left of my virginity, Harry. Treasure what I am offering you or lose me forever." She said softly. "I trust you with my life, Harry. I trust _only_ you. That's why I...allow myself _this_." She motioned between them with her hand. "It makes me vulnerable and I hate it but you are the one and only guilty pleasure I really want, Harry. Please take this seriously." She almost pleaded with him.

"I will." Thinking that it would be only fair to lay some of his feelings bare as Ginny already did for him, he added. "You are the only one who means anything to me, Ginny. I'm not even comfortable with touching, but...it's different with you. I actually...I enjoy this."

"I would kill you if you didn't."

Harry looked up at her before he rose from his seat and stood before her, leaning in and pressing his lips against hers, igniting a fire inside of his chest as he felt lips as soft as flower petals against his. After a few short seconds which felt like an eternity, they seperated. "We should sleep."

She smiled at him as she took a shaky breath, her face flushed. "Yeah."

"We keep these things private, right?" Harry asked her.

She nodded immidiately. "Of course. Until we are in a real relationship we keep this private."

"Good." Harry kissed her again. "Good night, Ginny."

"Night, Harry."

* * *

Before they knew it Christmas had arrived. Harry didn't expect anything for Christmas and didn't buy anyone anything. He got along well enough with most of his yearmates- Draco, Crabbe and Goyle excluded- but the one person of all of them who meant anything at all to him was Ginny. Still, he didn't buy her anything either. He just wasn't used to any of this Christmas spirit and didn't bother trying to get into it.

After waking up he got up from his bed and stepped on something. Looking down, he saw that he really got something for Christmas. He picked it up, checked the card and saw no name or any other indication who it came from. Not bothering to read the paper he went back into bed and closed the curtains around it, giving him some privacy as Zabini was still in Hogwarts and sleeping in his bed, unlike the rest of their dorm, who all went back home. He unpacked his gift and out fell something that almost felt watery to the touch, incredibly soft and silky. He took it in his hand was shocked when his hand suddenly disappeared. His eyes wide in shock, he covered several parts of his body with it until he pulled it completely over himself. Looking down on himself he saw that he was definitely invisible and that cloak was wide enough to fit more than just himself under it. He smirked.

Checking on Blaise, he saw him still sleeping and quickly stuffed his cloak at the bottom of his trunk. He then went on with his morning routine and headed to the common room and sat down in the couch in front of the fire, waiting for Ginny . When she finally entered the common room she sat down next to him, checked around them for any stragglers before firmly pressing her lips against his.

"Morning."

"Good morning, Ginny." He smiled against her lips before pulling away. "I have to show you something." Harry said in a low voice, his excitemend evident. "We can go to the restricted section in the library tonight and no one will see us!"

Ginny's eyey widened. She always wanted to see what the restricted section held in terms of forbidden and dark arts. " _What_? How?"

"Tonight. It'll be a surprise." Harry grinned at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine." She then relaxed back into the couch and stared into the fire. "You got anything?"

"Just that one thing. No name or anything on it and I didn't bother reading the note. Didn't care. You?"

"Something from my father, the twins, Percy, Charlie and Bill. Threw it all away. But I didn't get the annual Weasley sweater." She grinned at Harry. "Pretty much a sign that I am dead to my mother."

"Congratulations I guess."

"Believe me, this is amazing. She will not care about what I do or don't do. I am pretty much free."

"Then you can come visit me at Diagon Alley. I plan to stay at the Leaky Cauldron during the summer." Harry glanced at her. "We can get you your new wand and robes."

"I'd like that a lot, Harry. Thank you. But now let's go eat."

* * *

Lying in his bed, his cloak hidden underneath his pajama top, Harry waited until the clock finally showed it being midnight. He listened for a couple moments on Zabini and, when pleased that he was still sleeping, he put on his cloak and sneaked out into the common room. Ginny was already waiting for him at the fire.

"Ginny!" He whispered, freeing his head from under the cloak.

The redhead turned around with a small smile only to have a hand cover the shriek that was about to escape as she saw Harry's floating head. "What the-?! _What_?!"

Harry uncovered himself completely from the cloak. "This thing makes me invisible!"

Ginny quickly covered the distance between them to touch it. "Harry...this thing...it is an invisibility cloak! Do you realize how rare and valuable they are?"

"I could imagine that they are not exactly common." He smirked at her.

"The things we could do with this..."

Harry then pulled Ginny against his side and the cloak over them. "Let's go and check out the restricted section."

* * *

They reached their destination without any trouble and entered the restricted section.

"What do you want to check out?" Harry whispered.

"Curses and Hexes. We could check some we like and maybe try them out one night outside. There's bound to be some animals, what with the forest right there."

Harry nodded in approval. He pulled out a piece of parchment and a feather, which he had stuck between the waistband of his pajama bottom, and a small vial of ink from the pocked of his pajama bottom. He handed the items to Ginny.

"Your handwriting is more neat than mine." He answered at her raised eyebrow. She took them with a smirk.

They searched the section for a few moments until they found a row with a few books about curses and hexes when Ginny grabbed his arm and pointed at a book.

 _The Dark Side Of Magic: Dark Curses, Jinxes and Hexes._

Harry nodded and pulled it out. They both skimmed through it and both pointed at things that they found interesting, Ginny dilligently writing incantations, wand movements and effects down. Soon they had almost spent three hours in the library when they decided to head back.

Once back in the common room they both sat down in front of the fire, Harry pulling out the parchment and skimming over the notes Ginny took, with the redhead leaning against him as she too reread her notes. Some of them were particularly gruesome and she couldn't imagine what they could do to another human being but her morbid curiosity reigned would win in the end. The way Harry took on these things though fascinated her on a whole different level. While with her there always was some sort of emotional trigger- usually anger and hatred- Harry always seemed stoic. He rarely really laughed. He always had a scowl on his face. His eyes almost never betrayed his emotions. She knew that once he matured some, he could really be cold blooded- the balance to her raging and destructive fire. They really seemed to be the perfect match.


	3. Spring

**AN:** Well, would you look at that. A new chapter for TID! I am really sorry for this long delay but well, University keeps one crazy busy. Besides, I can't promise you guys quick and regular updates. Sometimes they might come surprisingly quick, sometimes they might take what feels like a hundred years.

Now, that being said, enjoy this chapter and please leave reviews! I love reading those.

* * *

Time flew by quickly as both Slytherin first years kept themselves busy between their school work and their late-night experimenting with the multiple hexes and curses they found in the library. Harry and Ginny both quickly became the talk of their House as they kept earning points for Slytherin, the Snakes being far ahead in the race for the house cup.

February was upon them faster than they would have liked and even though Harry was sure he knew which answer he would get, he still thought it best to ask Ginny about something that was on his mind for the past week.

Currently, they both were sitting at a table in the common room, doing their homework. It was a sight which quickly became familiar with the Slytherins and even though some thought that the way they both were attending to their school work they would have been better suited for Ravenclaw, most were perfectly fine with how the Boy-Who-Lived and his redheaded sidekick earned them their house points.

Thinking that now was as good a time as ever to talk about what bothered him this past week, Harry put down his quill and turned towards Ginny, earning himself a raised eyebrow from her.

"Do you want something for Valentine's Day?" He asked her quietly, thinking that the blunt approach was as good as any approach.

Ginny, now with both brows raised high, looked at him with her surprise evident on her face. "Uhh…what?"

Harry shrugged in his typical way. "You know…I don't know. I mean I know we both don't celebrate anything and I am perfectly fine with that. But…you are… _you_ and you deserve something nice once in a while. So, I thought Valentine's Day was a good occasion but I don't know if you even want anything."

Ginny gave him a big smile and his hand a short squeeze at that. "That's really sweet, Harry. But, and don't take this the wrong way, if you want to give me gifts and whatnot then don't limit it to one day in a whole year, especially a day that makes people feel obligated to do things like that." With a sly grin, she nudged his side and whispered. "But it's good that you start asking this stuff already. It means I can start training you early to be a good boyfriend in the future."

Harry was about to retort at that when Malfoy came towards their table with a shit-eating grin. "What's this, Weasley? Scarface over there is your boyfriend?" He was purposefully loud enough so he got the attention of the entire common room.

The raven-haired Slytherin just shook his head in resignation, having given up on Malfoy leaving them alone already. "What is it this time, Malfoy? Are you jealous because not a single girl bothers to give you any attention?"

That got Pansy Parkinson on her feet as she basically pranced her way to Malfoy's side. Ginny looked at her curiously. Even if they didn't exactly get along, there rarely was an instance when she and Harry had any problems with the pug-faced girl. "Draco can get any girl's attention, Potter," she sneered at him. "He has got mine already."

The redhead sniggered at that, her shoulders shaking as she covered her mouth with a hand. Harry on the other hand just rolled his eyes. "Fine, let me correct myself then." He turned his attention back to Draco before speaking up again. "Are you jealous because not a single _pretty_ girl bothers to give you any attention?"

"Why you…!" Pansy's face flushed furiously as she glared at Harry, who just gave her a smug smile. Her hand twitched as she decided if she should go for her wand or not before she growled in anger and stomped back towards her friends, having decided that she didn't want to risk losing any points in case word got to their Head of House.

One of the older Slytherin's muttered a ' _daaamn'_ into the dead silence of the common room before everyone turned their attention back to what they were doing a few moments earlier.

Harry looked at Draco and motioned for him to sit down at their table, which he reluctantly did. "How many more times do you want to try this?" Harry asked him.

"What are you talking about, Potter?"

Sighing in annoyance, Harry made some wild gestures with his hands. "This! Trying to get everyone riled up against Ginny and me and failing and getting humiliated in return! Don't you get it? No one gives a rat's ass about you! No one takes you seriously! While Ginny and I earn us house points every single day you have never earned a single point this whole school year!"

Before Draco could answer, Ginny cut in. "I've actually overheard some of the upper-years. Of course they've heard who keeps losing house points for Slytherin and they said that they are thinking about complaining to Professor Snape about you." _That_ was a lie, but what Malfoy didn't know…

Harry just nodded, confirming the lie, but leaned over the table towards Malfoy. "I'm warning you one more time, Malfoy." His voice was low. "Keep this up and you will regret it. I will make your life in Hogwarts so miserable that you will beg your Daddy to pull you out of here."

"Empty threats," was all Malfoy said.

"Try me." Harry stared into the blonde's eyes for another moment before turning back to Ginny. "So you don't want anything for Valentine's Day?"

The redhead contemplated for a moment before shrugging. "I don't exactly _mind_ getting something for Valentine's Day. But, as I already said, if you want to get me gifts then surprise me. I mean, I can't speak from experience, obviously, but as a girl I expect boys who like me to get me stuff on Valentine's Day, which kind of limits the excitement of getting gifts, you know?" After Harry nodded in understanding, she continued. "But if you get me something nice on unspecific occasions…like you hear me talking about something I like and you just get it for me because you know I wanted it…that would be way more appreciated than chocolate on Valentine's Day because that would be something that would really surprise me."

"Yeah, that makes sense. I'll do that." Harry gave her a small and quick smile as she patted his hand with a grin before he glared at Malfoy who looked at them with an odd expression on his face. "The hell you still doing here?" Harry asked him in an annoyed tone at which the Malfoy heir just shook his head at them and got up, returning to his group of _spoiled brats_.

"I hate that guy." Ginny frowned.

Harry nodded in assent. "You and me both, Ginny."

With a sigh, they both returned to their homework.

* * *

One night, just as the first days of spring arrived, Harry and Ginny spent their time outside just at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They had their 'own' spot there now, a few minutes away from the groundkeeper's hut. The trees were still somewhat sparse there but still thick enough to hide them from sight.

Harry and Ginny were sitting on the ground with content smiles on their faces as there were again a couple small animals- two squirrels to be exact- dead and mangled between them. If you didn't know what they were you would have a hard time to identify the dead rodents.

"It's been almost four months since we started doing this." Harry stated.

Ginny hummed in acknowledgement, her eyes closed and a content smile on her face as if she had just been given the most lavish of backrubs.

"Do you have a favorite yet?" The young boy asked the redhead.

"I like the cutting hex, to be honest." She answered without missing a beat. The youngest Weasley almost fondly remembered her first try of the hex. A pet cat from someone in the school had the misfortune of walking by them as they were sneaking out of the castle under the invisibility cloak. Ginny, not even consciously, petrified the cat and took it with them. Once they were at their spot, she giddily leafed through their notes and found the one she wanted to try out on the pet animal.

A sigh escaped her at the memories of the bloody and broken body of the cat. "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think that we will ever be able to try this stuff on a person?"

Eyeing his companion curiously, he asked the obvious question. "You want that?"

Shrugging with a smile on her face, Ginny answered him. "I think so, yeah. I mean it's all fun and games but…it still lacks that kind of…excitement I suppose." Scooting over to sit next to Harry, she rested her head on his shoulder. "I know it's really risky but at some point in the future maybe…?"

He looked down at her, her eyes staring right into his. In the darkness, only illuminated by Ginny's want, he couldn't really see her eye color but he had seen it so often he had it burnt into his memory. He liked her eyes and when she stared at him like that- eyes wide, smile on her lips, her excitement at the thought of hurting someone so palpable- his heart started to race like crazy. Only she could make him feel that way. Leaning towards her, he gave her wonderfully soft lips a kiss and he felt her smile widen against his lips. "Whatever you want, Ginny. We, obviously, can't do this now but once we are more experienced…I'd like to see what you can come up with on a person."

Ginny almost squealed in child-like excitement, already looking forward to that day. She knew it could be a year, two years or even three years in the future but she could understand Harry's point. They were still so new to this, their magic still in development. They didn't have really hit puberty yet. She herself had only just started her menstruation and, while she couldn't really speak for boys, she noticed Harry growing hair on his face, even when it was still very thin and fine hair.

They still had all the time in the world but they did have to be very careful as they both were very aware that others wouldn't exactly agree with what they thought of as having a 'fun time'.

After a few more moments Harry got up and threw the dead animals as far as he could into the darkness of the forest, relying on the predators in it to dispose of them for Ginny and him. Once done, he held a hand for Ginny to help her up. Getting under his invisibility cloak he held it open to make room for Ginny. Once they were both hidden they sneaked their way towards the castle and past the groundkeeper's hut when Ginny stopped them both.

"Look!" She whispered. Harry followed her eyes and he gasped at the sight that presented itself in front of them. In irregular intervals, they could see the gatekeeper's hut brightening in the darkness, made clear and obvious through the windows. Ginny tugged at Harry's hand to drag him with her as she made her way towards the source of their curiosity. Once they reached a window, the blinders only half closed, they peaked inside and their eyes widened immensely at what they saw. Ginny's brother, Ron, and two other Gryffindors- one being the walking disaster Neville Longbottom, the other, to both of their surprises the muggleborn witch Hermione Granger- were in there, discussing heatedly with Rubeus Hagrid just _why_ it was a bad idea to have a baby dragon growing up in a wooden hut. And they actually saw the baby dragon. An ugly and skinny little thing, snapping its jaws against various fingers and spitting fire around the hut, illuminating it in the darkness.

Ginny grinned at Harry with wide eyes and the dark-haired boy almost groaned at the sight. It was Ginny's _'I have an idea to cause some trouble'-_ look. Harry was about to complain before Ginny could even say something when a small jet of fire rushed towards their position, causing both of them to flinch and stumble, alerting the students and the groundkeeper to a presence outside. Ron came rushing out of the hut towards their position and saw a foot peeking out from under Harry's cloak.

"Who's there?" The ginger boy asked with his wand raised.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, unsure about how to proceed now. They could either just run or show themselves. Their hesitation took was what ultimately made their decision for them as Ron suddenly just grabbed at them and ended up pulling the cloak away, revealing both Slytherins.

"Ginny." Ron growled. "Should've known it could only be a bloody snake."

"Y'kno her?" Hagrid asked Ron. Neville and Hermione both nodded as an answer.

"My sister." Ron ground out as if just saying it left a bad taste in his mouth.

Ginny just grinned at him. "Hey there, my darling brother. Would you be so kind and explain why there is a dragon in there?"

Harry got up and reached for his cloak only for Ron to pull away from his reach. "My cloak."

"Swear that you won't say anything about what you saw."

Sighing in annoyance, Harry just agreed. "It's not like I care about what you are doing in there. Now, my cloak. Give it back."

Ron still hesitated, not trusting the Slytherins. "I don't believe you." His statement, simple and direct.

Harry, now scowling, took a step towards them. "Give. Me. Back. My. Cloak."

Hermione and Neville were both nervous, as was Hagrid, feeling like his time at Hogwarts was on the brink of ending if this dragon-disaster came out.

"Come on Ron, you can't just keep stuff from other people." The muggleborn whispered frantically, urging him to end this standoff.

"Do you want Hagrid to lose his job here?" Ron snapped at here. "They are Slytherins! You can't trust snakes!"

"Yes, you can't trust us." Ginny began mockingly. "I mean, didn't you know what House Slytherin is up to in the common room? While you are busy with your mundane problems like finishing your essays, we practice blood magic and necromancy." She finished in a conspirational whisper.

Ron glared at her, then threw the cloak onto the ground. "If I even hear rumors about any of this, we will have a problem."

Ginny just rolled her eyes, but Harry glared a hole through Ron's head as he felt a rage inside of him like he never felt before. The Gryffindors retreated back into the hut with Hagrid while Harry picked up the cloak and dusted it off of any dirt. He held it up for Ginny to slip under it with him as they made their way back towards the castle and the Slytherin common room. Once inside, they both sat down on a couch at the fire and Harry stared at the dancing but slowly dying flames.

After a while, he spoke up. "I want to hurt your brother."

Ginny chuckled lightly as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Okay."

* * *

The weekend after they found out about the dragon in Hagrid's hut was a quiet one for the twosome. They were outside on a cool but sunny day and were sitting at the lake, doing nothing in particular. As they were chatting idly, not paying any heed to their surroundings, the sun shining on them was blocked by three people. Looking up, Harry immediately started to scowl.

"What?"

"The dragon's gone." Ron went straight to the point.

Ginny looked at him bemusedly. "And you are telling us, because…?"

"Someone tipped Dumbledore off. He went straight to Hagrid about this and had it sent to Charlie before the whole school knew about it. If this would have gone public Hagrid would be without a job."

"And…?"

Growing frustrated that they didn't seem to get his not-so-subtle insinuations he snapped. "Well, obviously it was one of you! Who else knew about this?!"

"Ugh, Merlin's soggy underpants, Ronald! We didn't care about this blasted dragon! It could have eaten you alive for all I care! Now leave us alone and go take a shower. You stink." Ginny dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

Scowling at them, her brother and his entourage left them alone again. Shaking her head, Ginny laid down on the grass, spreading her arms and legs out in the process as she soaked in the sun's warmth while enjoying the cool breeze.

Harry laid down next to her, his gaze locked on Ginny as she had a smile on her face. Never before had he found another person as fascinating as the youngest Weasley. First and foremost, he found himself drawn to her because of her impulsiveness and very obviously sadistic side. It was so different from how he tackled their 'playtime' in their late-night adventures. While he took the cold, calculated and most efficient ways Ginny took the ones that would cause the most pain and probably be the bloodiest. Yes, he enjoyed watching her work, yes, occasionally he would indulge in a bloodier approach than he usually did, but Ginny was just _wild._ It was so enticing to just see her gleeful grin as she experimented and would cut open and dismember the animals they found. It simply clicked every time he would see her work. He wouldn't want to be anyone else if it meant not knowing her.

And then, there were her looks. Her flaming red hair, her soft lips, her bright eyes and her cruel smirk- those things about her made him weak in his knees and made his heart race.

Whatever deity out there made her fall into his compartment in the Hogwarts Express, he would forever be grateful.

"Are you done staring at me yet?" Ginny asked, her voice light with humor, her eyes still closed.

Harry chuckled. "I can't seem to stop."

With a laugh, Ginny rolled onto her side, her head propped on a hand as she looked at Harry. Her other hand reached out, softly stroking his hair. "What are you thinking about?"

"It's too cheesy and isn't fitting for people like us."

Letting out a melodic laugh, Ginny leaned forward and pressed a small kiss against his lips. "Was it about me?"

"Yes."

"Good enough, then."

"Ginny?"

"Yeah?"

"Were you the one ratting out that big oaf on Dumbledore?"

"Of course. Someone had to, after Ron threw your cloak on the dirt like it was some common piece of trash." She replied angrily. "When someone mistreats something of yours they mistreat something of mine and I don't take kindly to that."

"Damn."

"What?"

"Now I have cheesy thoughts again."

Ginny laughed again, before cupping Harry's face in her hand. "I'm really looking forward to us being older."

* * *

It had been a couple weeks since they went out for their 'playtime', thinking that caution was the best approach since Ron, Granger and Longbottom found them spying on the trio and Hagrid.

But, growing restless, they thought that they had waited long enough for everything to cool down a bit, and went outside again only to stumble again on the threesome as they seemed to sneak around the castle. Glancing at each other, Ginny's grin was answer enough for them to come to a fast decision.

So, they followed the Gryffindors around for a while until they reached the third-floor corridor. They were now beyond curious as to what the three were doing here, so they kept following until they reached a locked door.

Granger, by far the smarted between her, Ron and Longbottom, unlocked the door with ease and took a deep breath. Opening the door, she quickly peeked inside and closed it again, just fast enough before a giant snout followed by vicious barks could snatch her.

With wide eyes, the two Slytherin's stared at each other, almost forgetting about the other three, so they quickly turned their attention back to their conversation.

"…trapdoor still closed. I don't think that he's figured out yet how to get past that Cerberus." Granger stated.

Ron nodded in approval. "Good. Who knows what he'd do with the Philosopher's Stone if he'd get his slimy hands on it."

"Let's head back. We don't want to get caught out here."

After they were alone again, Ginny stared at Harry before whispering frantically. "Did you see that beast in there?"

"Granger called it a Cerberus. Must have three heads." Harry shuddered at the thought. "But what's that what she said about guarding some stone?"

Ginny answered without missing a beat. "I've heard about it. You can create an elixir from it which's supposed to grant you immortality. And you can create gold with it."

"And why would you hide something like that in a _school_ of all places?" Not for the first time he shook his head at some of the decisions that were made in and for this school.

"Don't ask me." Ginny shrugged, as they were sneaking back to their common room. "But just imagine: all the gold you could ever want, right at your fingertips." She sighed dreamily.

Harry glanced at her before wrapping his arm around her small waist, making her raise an eyebrow at him with a small smile. "I may not have an infinite reserve of galleons but whatever I own is yours too."

Ginny was quiet for some time but, once they reached the wall to their common room, she stopped them and pressed a firm kiss against his lips. "Thank you, Harry."

Once they were back inside, they sat at their favorite spot by the fire.

Ginny, leaning against Harry's side, spoke up first. "What'd you do if you had as much gold as you ever wanted?"

"I honestly don't know. Buy my own house with a huge library with all the books about any magic that ever existed, no matter how dark and forbidden."

" _Your_ own house?" She asked, an eyebrow arched high.

"Well, you asked what _I_ would do, if _I_ had as much money as I ever wanted, so it makes sense that it is _my_ house bought from _my_ money." Harry smirked at her.

"Well played, Mr. Potter." Ginny chuckled, before relaxing against his side again. "So then, would poor old me be allowed to live in your house?"

"Of course. You would even be allowed to sleep in my bedroom."

Giggling against him, she slapped his arm playfully. "Would I get my own torture room?"

"You didn't even need to ask, Ginny."

"Who do you think is trying to steal the stone?"

"I don't know and to be honest, I don't really care. I'm pretty sure that dog isn't the only thing they put there for security."

"Don't you want to have it?"

Sighing, Harry looked his best friend in the eyes. "Ginny, I know how much you would love to own something like that and I understand, I swear. But you know as much as I do that, first of all, the effort to get there in the first place would not be worth it and second, I don't think that the stone is just waiting on a pedestal for us to come and pick it up. There might be tracking charms on it, they might have cursed it to harm you on touch and whatnot. It's way too risky and for all we know, this might also just be a bait with the original being who knows where."

Looking sad, despite having to agree with Harry on everything he said, she sighed and nodded. "I suppose you are right."

Reaching up to cup her face and make her look at him, he stared her right in the eyes, his intensity something so rare, that it almost surprised Ginny and burned her to the core. "I promise you, Ginny, that no matter what it takes I will do everything I can for you to have the best possible life you can. If it means that we have to become the Voldemorts of our generation we will do just that."

Ginny blushed and grinned at his words, despite herself. "You would?"

"Of course! I don't care about anyone but you and if we have to go around and massacre people just so you can be happy then that's what I'll do." He puffed out his chest, looking and feeling for the first time like the eleven-year-old boy he actually was, making Ginny laugh.

"That's the most romantic thing you ever said to me, Harry."

Looking rather proud of himself, Harry shrugged. "I don't like seeing you…like you just did. It's not you."

"People get sad sometimes, Harry. Even you. Just imagine me being seriously hurt or sick or even dead."

"I wouldn't be sad." Harry answered, making Ginny look rather hurt, so he quickly took her hands in his. "I'd be angry and hunt the person down who hurt you."

"Huh." Ginny was surprised, though she felt like she shouldn't have. "I actually prefer that, to be honest." After a few moments of quiet, Ginny spoke up again. "How badly would you hurt that person?"

"They'd beg me to kill them."

"Nice."


	4. Summer 1

**AN:** Hello everyone! I know it has been so, so long and I am very sorry about that. Other stories had my attention but yeah, I went back to reading some Ginny/Harry stories and just felt the drive to write a new chapter for this story again. But, as a fair warning, please do not expect this story to be updated regularly now! Some time back I unexpectedly got myself pregnant and the father has no intention in being there for me or our baby, so, in just about a month I will be a single mum on top of being a university student, which, despite help from my parents, will obviously take up most of my time. I know you guys will be understanding and I also know that you guys might be disappointed as you probably hoped I might come back to update this regularly, but, I want to reassure everyone reading TiD: this story is not dead! I know how it will end. I have a fix ending in my head and all that needs to be done is the way there. I have not forgotten about this story and I will not abandon it unless extreme circumstances force me to do so. There might be a few updates now and then, there might be big pauses between updates. I certainly will try to write a couple or so hundred words for my stories now and then because, well, writing helps me relax and disappear into a different world, but obviously studying and taking care of my daughter when she is born will be my priorities.

Also, in case anyone reading this is also reading one of my other stories, I plan on getting most of my other stories- including those not updated in over a year- updated. It's not like I can do much else, with those back-aches keeping me up most of the night. :(

That being said, please enjoy this (shorter than usual) chapter!

 **MaraudersForLife:** It probably will still be some time until we reach their first torture scene but I can promise you won't be disappointed when that time comes.

 **Kae:** Yeah, I recently reread the chapters and have to admit that there are spelling mistakes here and there but, as I mentioned on the ANs, I did write a couple chapters on my mobile. Still, when I get around to do it, I will definitely clean them up. Trying to write sadistic eleven-year olds is a challenge indeed. I want them to be smart but not super geniuses. I want them to be powerful for their age but not comically so. I want them to be children but not children who still have the innocent outlook into life a healthy and loved child would have. I hope I can convey it at least to some extend like I hope to. Also, thank you very much for your honest review and opinion, those are very much welcome!

* * *

The train ride back to London was something Harry really didn't look forward to. He didn't want to leave Hogwarts, he didn't want to leave home. Over the past year the magnificent castle had become just that to him, after all. He learned of magic, he learned of potions, he learned that he was special but most of all, he got to learn about his friend, about his one and only best friend Ginny Weasley. She was like a wildfire; burning wildly with unpredictable passion that she made his heart flutter and the best thing about her was that she felt the same way about him. Just the thought of anyone else holding her like he was right now on their last day at Hogwarts, enjoying the sun outside by the lake, made him angry. She was his and his alone and anyone who thought otherwise would learn just how wrong they were.

"When would it be okay to visit you?" Ginny leaned her back against Harry's front, who was sitting against a tree. "I really don't want to wait too long."

"Whenever you want, I guess. I mean, I won't go back to the Dursleys. It's not my home. I hate it there."

"And I don't want to go back to the Burrow…I'm…scared my uncle might visit."

Harry squeezed her his arms tighter around her middle, feeling angry and possessive at the thought of her uncle touching her in any way. "Whenever he comes over just run away."

"Yeah…"

"I wish school would go all year without summer breaks…"

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

Turning her head slightly around, Ginny stared into her Harry's piercing green eyes with her own chocolate brown ones. "When we graduate we will get our own place, right?"

"Of course! We can also travel all over the world, learn all kinds of magic!"

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. The Dursleys would always go on vacations and dump me with other people and Dudley would brag about it when they came back…it made me angry…it wasn't fair! But…when we are done with Hogwarts I'd like to visit all kinds of places and I'd want no one but you with me."

Ginny grinned at him, her eyes shining with happiness before she leaned into him to press her lips against his. "I can't wait." Sighing, she turned around again to stare at the lake, barely seeing a shadow disappearing into its depths. "What kind of magic do you want to learn?"

"I don't know yet," Harry answered as he shrugged his shoulders, "but I'd like to think that different cultures have different kinds of magic, y'know? I'd like to think that, I don't know, African magic is different from British magic."

"It does sound exciting…just think about all the different curses and whatnot we could learn!"

"Exactly!" They were quiet for some time, Harry resting his head on Ginny's shoulder, just enjoying the softness and warmth of her body against his, as her fingers traced random patterns against the back of his hands resting against her belly. "Is stuff like _Voodoo_ real? Or _Necromancy_?"

"Of course, they are!" Ginny turned again to look at Harry, her eyes very wide. "Would you really…want to learn that stuff?"

"Why not?"

"You know what they do, right?"

" _Necromancy_ is kinda obvious, _Voodoo_ I'm not so sure about, all I know is bits I got from the telly when I was able to sneak a look now and then and I don't know how true that stuff was."

"Well, I only once heard about _Voodoo_ and that was when my father told a few years back that someone who practiced _Voodoo_ was caught by Aurors and got the Dementor's kiss. My eldest brother Bill asked him what _Voodoo_ was and my dad said that _he_ was told that _Voodoo_ was purely sacrificial, ritualistic black magic."

"Black magic?"

"Yep. The worst of the worst. So bad that even just researching it means a lifetime in Azkaban. Practicing it means a Dementor's kiss."

"Damn. What's Azkaban? What's a Dementor's kiss?"

"Sometimes I forget that you only recently found out about magic," Ginny chuckled in good humour at his questions, "Azkaban is the wizarding prison for the British Isles, Dementor's are the guardians there. My father once went to Azkaban for his job or something for a day, and he said that just being near them makes you feel drained of any happy thoughts and feel nothing but despair. A Dementor's kiss is the ultimate punishment a wizard or witch can get from the law. The Dementors suck out your very soul."

Harry was still for some time. "You mean that literally?"

"Yep. They suck out your soul from your body."

"And that's the punishment you get for doing stuff like _Voodoo_ magic?"

"Mhm."

"That's stupid," Harry answered, his annoyance clear in his voice.

"Why?"

"Magic is magic. We have the ability to do magic. Why should we punish people for learning all they can with that ability? Why should we limit our abilities to, I don't know, making feathers levitate from desks? It's just stupid. I want to learn everything, and I don't care what anybody thinks."

"I knew there was a reason I kept you around," Ginny giggled before she snuggled back into Harry. "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should get new glasses."

"Why?"

"The ones you have now are kind of ugly and don't really fit your face."

"Okay then."

* * *

The time to leave had come and Harry couldn't help a sigh escaping him as he stepped into the scarlet train that would carry them from Hogwarts to London. Ginny took hold of one of his hands and lead him farther and farther into the back of the train until they found a compartment that seemed to be unoccupied for now before they stowed away their trunks and sat down.

"I really don't want to leave."

"I'm aware, Harry. You said it like fifty times already, today," Ginny said as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure it was more."

"Come on, sit down."

Sitting next to the redhead, he couldn't suppress his smile when she manipulated him so that she could lean against him comfortably with his arm around her shoulders and her legs tucked underneath her. "I don't wanna leave either, you know, but we have to. Stupid holidays."

"I'll write you."

"You better! And I really want to get new clothes and my own wand."

"I'll keep that promise, don't worry," Harry reassured her.

"I honestly can't believe Gryffindor won the house cup, though."

"It wasn't fair, that's true," Harry agreed.

Apparently, Ginny's brother Ron and some friends of his couldn't keep their noses out of where they didn't belong and actually went down that trapdoor the Cerberus guarded. They got stuck somewhere halfway through but all three of them just got enough points awarded for their 'bravery' so that Gryffindor basically got the house cup gifted to them.

Harry fount it immensely insulting, considering all the hard work Ginny and he had put into their academics to earn their place among their housemates and earn points for Slytherin. In the end it was all for nought.

"That just encourages them to be stupid…"

"It doesn't matter in the long run, Ginny," Harry threw in. "I mean, it annoys me, I'm not going to lie there, but ultimately…when we are older we won't care, will we?"

"True."

"I have other goals I want to achieve. I won't care if I won't win the house cup for Slytherin a couple times."

"I suppose. Maybe it just really annoys me because Ron won it for Gryffindor…he won it for being stupid! Ugh!" Ginny let out a huff, her frown deepening at that thought. "Here we are, busting our arses in every class, being in the top three of every class, never missing a single essay, never missing a single class and still, my brother wins the cup for breaking who knows how many rules!"

"We'll get it next year for you," Harry promised, suppressing his smile from breaking through at Ginny's frustration.

"I sure hope so! I already know Ron will be _unbearable_ because of that! I refuse to suffer through his guaranteed bragging year after year."

Allowing himself a chuckle, he pressed Ginny closer to his side as she let out another annoyed huff. Harry could definitely understand Ginny's frustration. It wasn't like he wasn't disappointed at the headmaster's thought process. He awarded students for breaking rules and stole the cup from those who worked diligently and hard through the entire school year. But, ultimately, in the long run it simply would not matter to them. It was a _nice-to-have_ for now, while they were still students, but when they would travel the world and discover and learn all kinds of magic, they would not sit and think ' _I wish we would have won the house cup all those years ago_ '. It simply wouldn't matter in their future and that was what he wanted to aim for, what he wanted to work towards. His future together with Ginny and no one between them and whoever dared would suffer.

The redheaded spitfire was his and his alone.

He glanced down at Ginny who gave him a look with a quirked eyebrow as she felt him tighten his grip on her arm.

"Something the matter?" She asked him with a small smirk.

"I won't ever let you go. You know that, right?"

Ginny gave him a smile and a peck on his cheek. "That's okay, Harry. I don't want you to let me go either."

* * *

A couple days had already passed since arriving back in London and, as expected, the Dursleys didn't come to pick Harry up, so, after saying goodbye to Ginny, he had made his way to the Leaky Cauldron.

He didn't know what he would do the entire time he was there. Of course, he would have lots of time to go and finish his essays he had to do over the summer break. But, aside from that there simply was not much he could do. He was forbidden to do magic as an underage outside of Hogwarts and that already limited him immensely. There was no chance to explore and experiment like they did at Hogwarts during the several nights they spent outside.

But he did see a sign that pointed towards a _Knockturn Alley_ , however he didn't want to go there without Ginny. She probably knew what it was, what was there to find, and he also wanted to explore the place with her and not by himself.

Harry already missed the redhead immensely. He had gotten so used to her constant presence that it simply felt wrong on several levels to not have her there. It wasn't _right_.

He hoped she had gotten his letter and that she would answer him soon. He hoped he would get to see her soon.

What he did not expect however was for the headmaster to pay a visit to him.

Harry was inside his rented room, busy doing his homework, when suddenly a knock on his door broke his concentration. He got up from his bed and walked over to the door before opening it, blinking several times at the sight of Professor Dumbledore smiling kindly at him.

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore."

"And hello to you, Harry. May I come in?"

Harry gave him a nod and stepped aside, allowing the old wizard to enter the room. He had no clue as to what could have brought Hogwarts' headmaster to see him in the Leaky Cauldron, or how he even knew he was here, but he was sure he would find out soon enough.

Conjuring a comfortable chair for himself, the headmaster sat down, a serene smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes. "I see you have started with your homework, my boy. Very commendable indeed."

"Thank you, sir."

"May I ask why you are staying here instead of your aunt Petunia's home?"

"I do not like it there," Harry answered, a frown on his face. "They hit me, they barely give me food, they never buy me things and I only ever got to wear their fat son's old clothes. I hate them. How do you even know I lived there?" He ended up asking, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"I was the one who left you in their care, Harry. It is important for you stay with your family at least-"

"They are _not_ my family!" Harry hissed, his face betraying his anger. "That house is not my home and I will _never_ go back there!"

At his last words the professor showed his true emotions for the first time as fear and shock made themselves visible. "Oh no…," he almost whimpered, "you have no idea what you have done, Harry…"

"I don't care! I'd rather live on the streets then going back to the Dursleys!"

"Harry, you do not understand," Dumbledore urged him, "when your mother sacrificed herself to save you, she activated a powerful and ancient magic that placed protective wards on her last living relative's home; your aunts home! As long as you stayed there the wards would have hidden you until you were of age, but you have effectively annulled it…"

"It wouldn't have mattered anyways, professor. I would have always run away. I would never have gone back there, ever."

"Family should never be declared null and void, my boy."

"I don't have a family. Not by blood anyways."

* * *

A few days later, Harry heard another knock on his door and he got up, annoyed at being interrupted again. After opening the door, his face lit up immediately however as he felt himself embraced by familiar arms, his sight obscured by a familiar mop of red hair, a familiar flowery fragrance invading his senses.

"Ginny!"

"I missed you."

Pulling away from her, his face morphed immediately into a deep frown as he got a good look at her face. "What happened to you?"

Looking down at her feet, Ginny stepped past him into his room, dragging a trunk behind her. "My uncle hit me after I bit his dick and told everyone I insulted him and was disrespectful. I didn't even bother with the truth anymore. Later my brother hit me for being disrespectful to his favourite uncle."

Harry led her to his bed and sat her down before joining her. His fingertips gingerly traced the bruised cheek and hovered over her black eye, anger like he never felt before burning inside of him. "I'm glad you ran away," he muttered, his voice steady as usual and not showing his true emotions.

"Promise me we will kill them, Harry. Please promise me we will kill my uncle and my twin," Ginny begged him, and she looked so vulnerable and so _unlike_ the Ginny he knew that it hurt him inside.

He laid down on the bed and pulled her next to him, an invitation she gladly took as she put her good cheek on his chest and closed her eyes. "Please promise me…"

"I promise, Ginny."

"Thank you."

"Will you go back?"

Ginny didn't answer for a while before shaking her head against his chest as he kept rubbing her back, feeling as the tension, anger and humiliation she felt gradually disappeared from her small frame. "If they don't look for me I won't have to. They didn't realize I was packing up and leaving to begin with but once they check the family clock they will have an idea that I am gone," she shrugged, "but as I said, as long as they don't look for me…"

"I hope they won't."

"Me too."

Silence took over the room as both children didn't speak for a while, neither feeling the need to. Instead, they settled for the comfort each other's presence provided them with.

Ginny simply basked in the safety she felt whenever Harry was close by. This was what she needed, she was so very aware of it. She wasn't sure where her mind would end up in if it wasn't this young boy's steadfast presence, for his cool and calculated demeanour, so very different from her. At times, after her uncle was 'done' with her she felt like she was bordering on madness, that she was so very close to just take the leap and snap and go on a rampage, but she knew she couldn't and after getting to know Harry, to learn that they were so similar in so many ways, even with all their differences, she wouldn't take the leap. Maybe it would be easier to just let go, to let the madness she felt lingering take over, but would Harry still want her then? Would he want a crazy, a mad Ginny?

A shuddering breath escaped her, and she hated herself for feeling so vulnerable, so _weak_ and _helpless_.

"I think your breasts have grown."

Despite herself, Ginny couldn't help the laughter bubbling up inside of her before she gave Harry an incredulous look. "Excuse me?"

"I don't know, I just feel them against me, which I didn't before. But I don't think it's a lot."

Sitting up from her comfortable position, Ginny looked down at Harry, his expression completely neutral. She then put her hands against her chest and, indeed, she felt a slight, a minimal difference but it was there. "Huh. Looks like I'm getting boobs."

Lying back down with her head on Harry's chest, she pressed herself firmly against him, her thoughts feeling less like a messy whirlwind, her mind feeling more collected then it did moments ago.

As long as Harry was there with her she knew she didn't need to worry too much. He would always stand by her, no matter what.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."


End file.
